


When Cherry Blossoms Fall

by yapX



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Blood and Gore, Emergenji, Eventual Romance, F/M, Gency, No outright sexual content - there may be implied, Post-Fall of Overwatch, Pre-Fall of Overwatch, Slow Burn, more characters to be added as i go along, starts in Blackwatch Era
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-17
Updated: 2018-05-28
Packaged: 2019-03-29 07:06:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,175
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13921917
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yapX/pseuds/yapX
Summary: Genji is saved and given a new life and purpose by Overwatch, however with every passing moment he loses more and more control of himself.Yet there is one person who is keeping him grounded, but why should she care?He's just another patient.





	1. To Cheat Death

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before we begin, I'd just like to say that this is my first published fanfiction (I've written a few private ones before) so hopefully I can learn how to properly write as I go along. I also likely wont have a regular updating schedule (two-three weeks) I'll just drop a new chapter in here and there.
> 
> That being said any feedback, positive or negative, is appreciated, although it would be nice if the bad feedback was specific so I can work toward something.
> 
> Anyway, enjoy reading this; This ship has been my OTP for quite some time, and will likely stay that way for a lot longer. (Hint hint, If you're a Pharmercy supporter, take your leave now.)
> 
> "Verdammt" = Damn!

'Morrison…I think I found something."

Darkness.

'…stay with me..."

Darkness.

"…it's not a pretty sight."

Darkness.

* * *

Genji always held a preference for the dark. It let him loose of all his family responsibilities. Hanzo and him grew close there, where no boundaries were set and the curiosity of two young boys could unfurl.

But as with all things, those times came to an end. Hanzo, being the elder son of the Shimada Clan and eventual heir to the empire when Sojiro was gone, had to uptake new responsibilities, ones which estranged him further from his own brother. By the time the pair were in their teens, Hanzo was well versed in leadership and martial arts, being proficient at both the bow and the sword. Genji on the other hand…he picked up girls. Lots of them. While having girls is certainly by no means a negative feat, it did not exactly align with what the elders of the Shimada Clan had in mind.

When both were in their mid-twenties, Hanzo was told to set Genji straight, in order that he could rule the empire too. Genji disliked the criminal life, and preferred to stay away from it.

"Hanzo, I wish not to murder and strike fear upon the people of Hanamura. I don't want to join your little party of assassins."

"I wish you could see things the way I do, brother. Then I would not be forced to do what I must."

"And that is?"

Hanzo unsheathed his blade, ready to strike down his little brother. Genji, noticing this unsubtle act, unsheathed his own blade, in the hopes to defend himself.

"I don't want to strike you down brother. But the elders have decreed it."

"You don't have to follow their word. Leave, and we can escape this land of crime and enter one of peace."

"If only I was as naïve as you, brother."

With one quick stroke, Hanzo dismembered Genji's right arm, the one he brandished his blade with. Genji cried out in agony, now unable to fight back against Hanzo. Within seconds, Hanzo made quick slashes, causing even more pain toward Genji.

With a final slice across his body, Hanzo turned his back and muttered:

"You are a fool, Genji. We could have been family."

* * *

Angela Ziegler, Dr Ziegler to some and Mercy to others, was enjoying her brief time of peace. It was not often that she'd be able to relax and do the stuff she wanted. She'd finish dealing with a new patient, grab a cup of coffee and by the time she had finished said coffee, another patient would be rushed through the door usually with some sort of wound that required her specific attention. Nights without sleep began, and not long after became the norm.

Overwatch had shipped her off to Japan, alongside Strike Commander Jack Morrison to deal with the mess that was the Shimada Clan. Why they would choose to send her and not someone more covert like Jesse, she did not know, but Angela took the situation to her advantage as much as possible. She walked along the thin market, now wet streets of Hanamura, hiding her golden hair inside a hoodie and some baggy trousers. It was a far cry from the attire that she usually wore, but it worked well to conceal her identity. She was holding a small bag full of Japanese food; the culture's food intrigued her and she was looking forward to trying it.

A little girl ran up to Angela and said "Are you Mercy? You look like her!"

'Sorry, I don't know who she is." Angela replied, wearing her best fake smile toward the sweet girl, who ran back to her parents that were tilting their head at her.

It was imperative that her identity not be revealed. It was likely that the Shimada clan knew who Mercy was and if they discovered a Mercy in their own domain, they would no doubt take her hostage or kill her on the spot. The Shimada's did not associate with Overwatch. As she and Morrison were on linked communications with each other, it was only a matter of time before Morrison uttered something:

"You can't let anyone know who you are, Mercy." a voice came out of her earpiece.

"I know Commander. I was briefed on this mission too." Angela responded.

"Please, it's Jack. And I'm just making sure you're safe. We don't want to get ourselves killed out there."

"Whatever you say,  _Jack_."

Morrison was a friendly person no doubt, and one who held grand morals to bring the best out of people. No wonder he was appointed Strike Commander. Yet, sometimes Angela felt as if he was being a bit too overprotective, almost like a dad would to his child.

"Fantastic. They carry me, a medical doctor, off to god knows where in Japan to deal with a murder syndicate who could probably kill me if they wanted to. And just when I think I get some time to myself, its ruined by the fact someone decided it should rain today.", she muttered. Angela did not like the rain, and nor the secrecy that she had to uphold. Clutching the bag of food tighter, Angela continued in German: "Next thing I know there's going to be another person running into my face screaming for help. It happens too often and I do not need more.". Hurrying faster on her small stature back to their accommodation, Angela kept muttering in increasing frustration about her situation. What's more, her bag of food was starting to dampen. While hurrying, she noticed a glint appear for a split second in the corner of her left eye. Curious as to what it was, she turned around slowly and made out the silhouettes of two young men. One of them, the elder, held a sword, likely what caused the glint in her eye. The other was on the floor, though she could not see what position he was in. The elder man was saying something to the younger one.

Realising the implication of the situation, Angela hid in a bush to witness what would happen. Thoughts ran through her mind: would the elder man kill the other? Or was it just a misunderstanding on her behalf. The clothes both men wore were very traditional: perhaps it was just training. She looked round to make sure nobody was on her rear, but when her eyes returned to scene, the elder man was gone, the younger one still laying there. She waited another five minutes for the man to get up, but his silhouette remained attached to the ground. Gingerly, the woman rose out of the bush to peek at the man. As she got closer, she noticed a pool on the ground. It was red. Her eyes widened, heart rate spiking so that it was audible in her head. She shook her head and pinched herself. But no, the pool remained there.

On the ground, a gravely wounded corpse lay, surrounded by blood. Its legs and left arm had been cut off, presumably by the other man.

Angela considered turning back and running back to where she was meant to be. Today was supposed to be her off day and the man on the floor was probably dead anyway. Hanamura was known for its crime level and if she were to help this man it could prove futile and put herself in grave risk. A pretty woman alone in the street was an opportunity for many malicious people to strike. The other man could also be nearby, which would probably result in her death. She would have continued the train of thought if she had not noticed a small logo on the man's shirt, tattered and tossed onto the side.

Two dragons chasing each other. She had seen it before, in Overwatch head-quarters. Her pupils dilated even further.

The Shimada Clan.

If Overwatch could get their hands on a member of the Shimada clan, they could come closer to ending a mass crime syndicate and save countless lives. She could stop children from ever needing to hear the immortal words: 'Your parents are dead.' She could stop what occurred to her from occurring to the public. But what would happen to the poor man, after Overwatch was done with him. Verdammt, she knew that Overwatch was a sketchy organisation at best and downright unethical at worst. She was a doctor, and doctors do not hurt lives. She could save some but at the expense of others. Angela didn't want to hurt anyone. This man, this man who lay on the floor, if she were to save him, he would live a life of admonishment and outcast, would that truly be better than death itself?

She glanced over, the sliced-up man lying there peacefully, as if he was accepting of his death, which only intensified the moral dilemma she was going through. She turned to face away from the man, and picked up her bag of food. She was about to walk away, head ducked in shame, when the man on the floor called out hoarsely in broken English: "Please…don't go."

At these words, Angela made her decision.

She would save him.

Mercy had not uttered a word in over an hour, and she know that Jack would be getting increasingly worried. She had said she was just going out to explore and buy some food, and would return as soon as possible. For obvious reasons she had not come back. Before Jack would inevitably unmute his headset and bark at her absence. She instead took the initiative and did it herself.

"Morrison…I think I found something."

"Mercy is that you? What are your whereabouts and are you in danger?"

"I know damn well that you know where I am, I know you put trackers in everything. And no, I'm not in danger,  _Jack,_ but I found someone who is."

"What happened?"

"Let's just say you might want to bring a helicopter, it's not a pretty sight."

* * *

Genji opened his eyes and saw a petite blonde woman standing not too far from him, talking seemingly into thin air with a tint of franticness and panic.

"Just get here already J-oh he's noticed me." The woman said.

"Don't move, you're going to be okay just stay with me, we'll get you out of here soon." A soothing voice touched his ears. Her expression was one of serenity, which quickly morphed into a frown. Genji sensed that this was because she didn't know whether he could even comprehend him, which he could.

"Can…english" he said, feeling pain in every syllable. The woman's face relaxed, and returned to one of serenity.

"I'm from Overwatch, I'm the head doctor and medical researcher there, so don't worry you're in good hands. My colleagues will arrive any minute now."

Overwatch huh, those guys. I guess if they're all like this woman then they aren't too bad.

Sure enough, a helicopter descended from the heavens, though with added noise and wind that you don't really find in heaven. Genji squinted at it. It had a gun-metal grey paint job with the Overwatch logo plastered on the side. Hovering in the air, two people jumped down from it, before flying away, presumably to not attract excess attention in the area. The woman rushed over to the people that had just arrived.

"Couldn't have arrived early enough, Jack."

"I apologise, I had to pick up a…comrade."

"Who now?"

"Doesn't matter, didn't you say there was a life on the line?"

"Ah yes, let me get back to him."

I witnessed rushing back to me on her small legs. I saw her sparkling blue eyes meet my dark-brown ones, as well as her golden hair flowing from her head. Her appearance was fragile but she was cute I'll give her that.

"What is your name, if you feel comfortable to speak."

"Genji…Genji…Shimada." I stuttered, knowing full well that Overwatch would know who I was and the atrocities my family had done.

Immediately, I heard another female voice yell: "Mercy watch out!"

I saw the blonde woman quickly turn around before feeling something hit my chest. I looked down and saw a small dart and imprinted on it: "Sleep Dart.". Suddenly, a rush of numbness devoured my body and I found my eyelids becoming heavier and heavier, the dull ache I had endured the past half-hour had disappeared and I slipped into the abyss, feeling calm and tranquil.

* * *

Angela spun round and snatched her Caduceus Blaster from its holster, ready to fire at whoever just shot Genji.

"Mercy, stand down, it's me, Jack, and Ana."

She looked at the two oncoming people and with a sigh, placed her blaster back into its hilt.

"Ana that was the patient! And since when were you here?" Angela remarked.

"I heard him say his name was Genji Shimada. Do you not know who that is? You could have gotten yourself killed. Also, it's Captain Amari to you, and Jack told me to come covertly and keep an eye on you."

Angela glared at the commander, but he simply ignored it.

"He was mortally wounded on the floor, unable to even move. How would he have attacked me?"

"Never mind that, he's too much of a liability to take. Leave  **it** there."

This made Angela's blood seethe. To just leave a poor, defenceless man to die on the streets alone. Sure, he was part of the Shimada clan but every life is a life and she was not about to abandon one due to some "liability".

" **He** , the man gravely wounded on the floor, could give us information on the Shimada Clan.  **He** , could tell us how to defeat the clan and stop countless lives from being ruined.  **He** , could be the person we're looking for." Angela replied, anger dipped in her verse. As much as she hated using her patients as tools, she knew it would be the only way to convince Captain Amari.

"And if he refuses to help?"

"Then I'll let him go. But if we leave him here, we could be losing out on game-changing information. Why pass up on the opportunity?"

"I hate to say it Ana, but she's right. We'd be better off taking him."

"Fine. But I'm not happy with this."

Angela, having calmed down, looked at the man, now fast asleep (albeit against his own will) on the floor in front of her. She couldn't help but imagine what he looked like before he was cut down, but quickly returned her attention back to the current day after her cheeks started to heat up.

"So now that's sorted…is anyone going to carry him?" Jack mumbled.

"Jack. You brought a stretcher, right?" Ana asked.

"Uh…about that…"

"Useless as ever I see, no wonder the second in command always has to do everything."

"I'll carry him." A timid voice emanated from Angela's lips. She didn't know why her tone was timid, she had carried wounded soldiers and civilians alike out from the heat of battle, surely carrying one man in a quiet area with two trained Overwatch agents would be a piece of cake?

Picking the man up, she noticed that he was unexpectedly light. Even with the lack of a couple limbs she didn't struggle at all. "I guess the assassins of the Shimada Clan are nimble." She thought.

The trio walked with pace for a couple minutes along the backstreets of Hanamura, being careful to not be seen, for there were most likely numerous spies and assassins affiliated with the Shimada Clan in the area. They walked in silence, which gave Angela a couple moments to ponder her decision. She had just brought in one of the Shimada's, and judging from the display she saw earlier, he seemed to be high up. She knew Overwatch would no doubt ask for something in return for his live being saved, and she could only hope that it would not be severe. Captain Amari was not pleased in the decision either, and Angela hoped it would not result in souring tensions between them. Oh Gott, the ramifications were too big and numerous to even comprehend.

Arriving at the helicopter, she frowned at the lack of a bed and was forced to place Genji flat on the floor, staining it with blood. The frown relaxed however, as she spotted her staff leaning against a chair at the back of the helicopter. At least Jack hadn't forgotten that. The staff worked by creating a beam of nanobiotics meant to sterilize wounds and regrow cells. It wouldn't make Genji regrow an arm and legs but it was enough to keep him in a stable-enough condition to survive the flight back to their Swiss headquarters where she could properly treat his wounds.

Once the other two had taken their seats next to the pilot near the front of the helicopter, Jack told him to "get to headquarters now." and the blades started to spin up, emitting a low drone that remained present in the background, lifting the vehicle slowly but surely into the air. The atmosphere within was frigid, and nobody spoke a word. Angela thought back to one point: she couldn't make Genji regrow limbs, and his scarring was no doubt too deep for antibiotics to heal. How could she deal with all those losses? She couldn't just leave him as a torso but there were no other options that she could think of. Would living life as just a torso be better than death? Would Genji want to continue living half a life without much freedom to do what other could? All the questions made her insides turn. She turned to look at Genji, still sleeping fast asleep on the floor. Captain Amari's sleep dart sure did work its magic. He seemed at peace once again, making Angela smile as she laid her staff on the ground beside him and slowly applied its healing beam onto him.

The journey to headquarters would take significant hours, so, satisfied with her work thus far, Angela sat down on one of the seats, keeping Genji in front of her view in case she heard any disturbances coming from the direction. Slowly, she closed her eyes and waited for their arrival. Just another day of work.


	2. An Artificial Feeling

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Verstanden" = Understood.  
> "Ach mein Gott" = Oh my God!

Angela hadn't slept in 36 hours. The moment she and Genji arrived in the Swiss Headquarters, the latter was put under anaesthesia and rushed straight to the surgical room. Angela quickly followed suit and was joined by various other surgeons. Despite his seemingly peaceful state, he was, after all, still barely holding onto his life. Only at this point could Angela take a proper look at the state Genji was in. He was covered in multiple deep lacerations and what appeared to be a kind of burn. His right arm and both legs would have minimal feeling if any, and would likely have to be amputated. The fact he was still alive up to this point was a miracle within itself. Her mind once again drifted to what this man in front of her could have looked like in the past, but before she could start to imagine, she heard someone clearing his throat at the door.

Spinning around, she saw Jack was standing there, beckoning her to come with two fingers.

"So, Doc, how is he?"

"I sent you the status report a couple minutes ago; He's in no way perfect condition, but he is fairly stable hooked up to the machines. I doubt he'd be able to walk or do many normal actions when he wakes, however."

"We can make him walk again."

"But that's impossible both his legs are in need of amputation..."

"Trust me, I can't tell you right now but some plans will be headed toward your way in a couple hours. Torbjörn and I will get back to you."

"Plans? What plans? Jack, I don't know what you want from this man but something tells me you have something up your sleeve and that if you told me I wouldn't approve of it. What the hell are you expecting me to be able to do here anyway? By the time the surgeons are done with him, he will only be a torso and an arm. Even then he could go into critical condition without a moment's notice. If he were to survive, what cruel reality would he have to live, being unable to do anything!"

Morrison, sensing Angela's building anger, allowed her some time to breathe before saying:

"I understand how important your patient's wellbeing is to you. So, trust me when I say that he will not have to live a cruel reality.  **We will give him life.** "

With that, Jack turned around and walked off along the thin corridor, his suit flowing behind him.

Angela walked to her lab, which was a mere 5 minutes away, and sat down in her chair with her hands on her head. What could Jack be talking about. It would take a miracle to get Genji to walk again, with the state that he was left in. There had to be some ulterior motive. This was Overwatch dammit, they were always going to be up to something shady. The only way to replace limbs were to replace them with cybernetic ones but surely, they weren't en-wait.

Jack said Torbjörn and him would get back to her. Why was Torbjörn involved with her patient? He was an engineer.

Overwatch would allow Genji to walk again, but their price would be making him into a living weapon for their use. Ach mein Gott why didn't she see this coming. Of course, they would add a caveat. Of course. They would never save a man's life for free. There must always be a price to pay.

A knock on the door.

"Come in." she said, impatiently.

"My apologies for disturbing you, Doctor Ziegler, but the surgery has been successfully completed."

"Very well. Keep him stable for the night, and I will see him tomorrow.

The amateur doctor nodded and quickly left with haste, shutting the door behind him.

Angela continued to ponder what plans Overwatch had for Genji, but after some time turned her attention toward other projects. Genji was still just another patient and she should not spend all her resources on this one man.

_Just another patient…_

A few hours later, she was deep into the continued research of equipping her staff with a new ability: If nanobiotics could heal wounds by regenerating cells, could they be programmed with the ability to regenerate dead cells too? Effectively, in theory it was possible to revive a recently deceased person, but the practice proved to be a challenge, one that she has spent several months working on - to little result. She took a small rat who had died on the battlefield just hours prior, and attempted to use her nanobots to revive it. The rat stirred slightly, making Angela's eyes widen and mouth begin to form a small upward curve. Alas, it stopped and didn't stir again, leaving her disappointed.

Decided that she had done enough experimenting for the day, she got up from her desk and chair when Jack conveniently radioed her.

"The plans are complete. I am sending them to you now. You can change Torbjörn's design how you see fit for use on Genji, it is only the basic structure, but the weapons must stay where they are. You may not like what you see but it's the best we can do given his state."

"Verstanden" she sighed, opening the file sent to her computer, expecting the worst to appear.

Well, she wasn't far off.

For one, he looked like a power-ranger, with a ridiculous green V plastered onto his forehead and pointless neon lights littered across the suit, but also that it didn't account for the fact that Genji still had a left arm, which he would probably prefer not to lose as he had already lost his other three appendages. And then the weapons: His right arm had a reload mechanism and slots in its 'hand' where shuriken would pop out. Well Jack was at least correct with one thing: she didn't like what she saw. It was evident that Torbjörn was better at making turrets than cyborgs.

It was now ten in the evening, she could either get a good night's rest, or fix Genji's design. Obviously, she chose the latter. Relying on coffee to keep her awake, she was finally done at seven in the morning, having gotten no sleep at all. Then again, she had created a new design which was tolerable as well as practical.

Having sent the plans for Torbjörn to manufacture, she rose out of her chair and made her way to the room where Genji was currently being held, grabbing a cup of hot coffee from the nearby dispenser.

* * *

_How long have I been in this room alone?_  Genji, who had awoken several hours ago, thought.

He laid still on the surgical table for what felt like days, keeping his busy mind occupied with exploring every nook and cranny of this still room he was being held in. He also let his mind wander to the pretty blonde woman that saved him from certain death. This was Overwatch, they would certainly know his background, probably better than himself. Why would this woman show such benevolence to someone of his kind? He could not expand those thoughts further as the door opened, causing him to glare at the entrance to see who would enter.

His gaze relaxed when the same blonde woman entered. She was at first slightly startled, but then smiled and relaxed her pose. She looked noticeably tired, with licks of hair spouting in multiple directions. Not that it made him revert what he had said earlier when he first observed her.

"Genji! You're…awake! Sorry I thought you'd be asleep this early." Angela exclaimed.

"It's…o-k-kay." Genji wheezed, realizing that he was not able to talk well.

"Genji don't talk too much, just relax. I need to tell you some things." She said, placing her hand on …what was left of his chest. This soothed him, and nodded with a sigh: letting the woman know that he understood. He noticed the slight German accent which the she used when she spoke. He hadn't noticed this when he was lying on the ground in Hanamura. Actually, where were they?

"First, you're in the Swiss Headquarters in Zürich, you're safe here. We've had to cut off most of your limbs, what you see is the most we could salvage. I'm sorry, but it was the best we could do. My nanotechnology, that kept you alive during our journey here, can do many miraculous things, but one thing it can't do is regrow limbs. That being said, there is a way that we can give you a body…"

He nodded again, focusing his gaze on the woman while she slowly paced around the room, close enough to him that he felt safe but not too close to make things awkward.

"Morrison, our Strike Commander, suggested we create an artificial body for you. It will not be ideal by any stretch of the imagination but it will be enough for you to perform the majority of the actions you were able to, before you ended up in this state. I have modified the design for you, and it's ready to be put into action."

Another nod.

"There is a condition though: as much as I tried to argue back, Overwatch want you to join them. They want your services. I have to give you this choice: Join Overwatch or live a life as a torso." She shook her head, sighing and burying her face into her hands.

 _Not much of a choice_.

"What choice do I have? I'll join." He replied, ignoring the pain in his throat from having to speak.

"I'm so sorry Genji…I didn't mean this for you…I tried."

Genji shook his head and in a whisper, almost inaudible compared to the low drone of the machines keeping him alive, said:

"No, without you I would be dead. Thank you…uhh…"

"Doctor Ziegler. But you can call me Angela."

"So, Doctor Ziegler, when is this body ready?"

"Now."

He nodded, and with a slight grin, exclaimed: "Well what are we waiting for?"

He saw the tips of Angela's mouth curve upward and smile. He could get used to that smile.

"Very well, sleep tight Genji, the machine will be administering your anaesthetic in a few seconds."

Nobody else had entered the room since Dr Ziegler's entrance.

"Are you operating on me alone?" Not that he minded. In fact, he preferred it. The company of her alone made him feel more at peace.

"Yes. Cybernetics is a complicated and still mostly-unexplored area of medical science. Not many have the experience that I have, not meaning to brag or anything."

"You seem to always be doing something amazing, doctor, have you slept at all?"

"Saw right through me. To be honest no. I've been far too busy recently, your arrival included. Besides, I don't need sleep. Not yet." The doctor replied, pink slightly dusting her cheeks at his offhand comment.

"I see." Marked Genji's final words as the anaesthetic entered his body and caused his vision to darken. The last thing he saw was the doctor, watching over him.

* * *

Angela continued staring at the man for a little while after he nodded off. He was not like the tales that she had heard about the people of the Shimada Clan. She was told that they were ruthless, cold-blooded murderers who would lynch innocent people, child or not. The clan ruled over the surrounding region under an iron fist and casting fear into many. And yet, this man, who was allegedly one of the 'princes' of the clan, did not act in accordance to those stories. He seemed aloof at first, but from the short conversation they just had, he was a friendly person who at appeared to care about her own condition: more than  _some_ people could lay claim to. Traits which one wouldn't expect from a highly-regarded member of an ironhanded syndicate.

 _I don't know how Jack is going to make this guy a weapon_.

She sighed, getting the surgical tools that she needed, as well as prepping the machines she was about to use. She had done operations on many people before, but what she was going to attempt to do now, had never been done before to the knowledge of the public. She could only hope it would go well, for his sake.

She radioed Torbjörn:

"Torbjörn, do you have the body ready?"

"Yes, I 'ave the damn body ready. Come over here and ge' it yourself. I don't see what was wrong with the one I designed. People always underestimate the engineers." A gruff voice came over the comms.

_Torbj_ _örn being himself, as always._

She sighed, quickly exiting to make the short trip over to that part of the base.

Retrieving the metal suit, she placed the pieces on the floor in the surgical room. Scanning her eyes from top to bottom, her lips formed a grin as she basked in her design becoming reality. Not often would something that she had designed be put into real-world use. The last thing that followed that path was her Caduceus Staff.

Returning back to the imminent situation, Angela put on her face mask and prepared to perform the meticulous task of attaching the body onto the still-sleeping Genji. Taking a sip from the lukewarm coffee she had brought earlier, she set to work.

* * *

_Pain…_

_What was this?_

Genji woke up slowly, the effect of the anaesthetic slowly wearing off his body.

Something was off...his body…it didn't feel right. His breathing felt unnatural: mechanical. His body felt colder…harder…artificial.

The straps that kept him on the surgical table were undone, and he gingerly stepped off the table. His steps did not feel right. They were strained, and carried out in uncomfortable fashion. He staggered toward a nearby mirror to see the state that he was in. He looked at the mirror and was disgusted.

_What have I become!?_

His right arm…his right arm was mechanical. And so were his legs… The remaining arm had red wires coming in and out of the muscle that was present. He brought his hands up to his jaw but instead felt metal running across the entire edge. What was he? He wasn't human. This isn't human. He looked like a robot **.**  He ran what fingers he had left down the side of his prosthetic arm. He could feel with the prosthetic, but something was slightly off. An artificially created sense of feeling. This wasn't the reaction of nerves in the skin, but sensors in cold metal.

Angela, who had been sleeping soundly in the corner of the room, awoke to the sound of Genji's footsteps as he paced with increased frustration around the room.

"Ah, Genji, you're awa-"

"What have you done to me?" Genji asked flatly.

"I... gave you the artificial body- "

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO ME!?" He shouted at her, his eyes turning red from their usual black.

He seized the stunned doctor by the neck and began to choke her.

"You, you made me into this…monster!" Genji yelled, tightening his grip around her neck.

"G…enji" Angela struggled, her air supply being cut off by the man.

_No…this is wrong…this isn't her fault._

"This is all your doing. You should have left me there TO DIE. Instead, you turn me into this…creature."

"I'm...sorry" she strained, her vision beginning to black out as her brain wasn't receiving enough oxygen.

_What are you doing. She saved you!_

"You deserve to die. You have sentenced me to that which is much worse than death."

_No. Stop. STOP._

_You are a fool, Genji_

_A fool._

_You are nothing._

_You will always be the younger brother._

"SHUT UP!" he screamed, letting go of the doctor and crashing into the back wall, collapsing onto the floor.

Angela, taking laboured but stabilizing breaths after the shock that had just occurred, looked at the crippled man, collapsed on the floor with his hands over his ears. What a poor soul.

"Why have you not run, doctor. You know who I am, and now you've seen it." he mutters, refusing to look away from the floor.

"Your life has been tough, Genji, I can see it. But it's nothing that we cannot change. And I know that you are a good person at heart."

"I nearly killed you! You, who has saved my life, nearly died to my hands!" Genji could not understand this woman. She knew exact who he was, she saw what he could become, she had nearly been killed, and yet, she continued to comfort him and didn't show a tinge of anger.

"I'm your doctor. A doctor always cares for their patient."

_So that was it huh, because she's my 'doctor'?_

He remained tucked in the back of the room, on the floor, silent.

The silence continued for several minutes, before it was interrupted by the sound of a voice coming from the doctor's intercom:

"Mercy! Are you alright? We heard a large commotion coming from the surgery room and I know you're in there." A man's voice emanated.

"Yes, Jack, I'm fine. Nothing serious happened. Genji just had a bit of a…moment, but he is okay now." She half-lied across the comms.

"Understood. Make sure he's in good condition. I trust you with that, doctor. Signing off."

_Why would she lie for him?_

"Dr Ziegler, are you like this to all your patients?"

"Mostly, yes, but you're special Genji. You're more important to me than any old person who ends up in this very room."

He was special? How so? What could possibly make him so 'important' to her that she would be willing to put her own life at risk for his sake. Perhaps she would be done caring about him once he had made a full recovery. Inside, he didn't want that to happen. This woman, Angela Ziegler, was interesting to say the least. As long as she was there, perhaps joining Overwatch would not be so bad.


	3. Settling In

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for the delay, I was originally going to post this last week however I had an important exam so I didn't have the time.
> 
>  
> 
> "Wakarimashita" = "I understand"
> 
> "Shi no nioi ka? Yoshi! Itsu demo koi" = "The scent of death? Good! Come at me any time"
> 
> "Iku zo!" = "Let's go!"
> 
> "Jōtō da!" = "Nice try!"

 

Rays of sunlight littered the floor, washing the room with a subtle auburn tint. The acute sounds of birds chirping could be made out in the background, outside on the grass that decorated a large portion of the Swiss Headquarters. The sun created a glare in the window that slowly moved over the sleeping eyes of a cyborg.

Opening his eyes, Genji slowly awoke to a scene that was vastly different from what he had remembered previously.

_I blacked out, didn't I._

Genji recounted the scene he had arrived from, the one that took place in the surgical room amidst a certain blonde woman:

_You're special, Genji. You're more important to me than any old person…_

That's right, he had nearly choked the person who had given him a second life, enveloped in his own selfish rage. Even in his mind, Hanzo continued to haunt him. "Kuso!" he muttered, accompanied by a few other Japanese curses. He would see consequence for his actions alright. Genji had given him the love of a brother and was returned with being treated as an inferior and almost killed by the man instead. Some sort of sibling-love that was.

Returning to the current reality, he checked his body. It wasn't a dream; he still had his suit of metal that kept him alive. Sighing, he looked around to see the place that he had woken up in. A cosy, but not too small room that was very rustic in format. There was a petite desk placed in the corner, along with a chair and lamp right beside it. The door that led to the bathroom found itself opposite the desk, and upon further inspection, it was nothing worthy of note: a shower, a toilet and a sink. Genji himself was sat upon of a twin bed which had simple blue pillows and a teal duvet. These were obviously his living quarters, as he had agreed (though without much other option) to join Overwatch, but how he had ended up here was a different mystery within itself.

That mystery did not remain unsolved for very long, as he found a small note placed on the bed-side table.

_You passed out while in the surgical room. You seemed fine to me otherwise, so I carried you here (don't worry it was not very far!). If you haven't figured out already these are your quarters where you'll stay in this base. It's quite plain and a bit lacklustre but hopefully that's okay._

_Oh, by the way, Commander Morrison wants to see you tomorrow. He'll knock on your door at ten so if you were just woken up by a gruff man then this may explain who the stranger is._

_Have a good rest, Genji._

_-Mercy_

What did he do to deserve her sympathy? He knew that he would never be able to pay back anything of equivalence to the level of sympathy that the doctor had given him thus far, and to think that he had attacked her further unsettled his mind. Genji looked up at the clock on the wall, which denoted that he had thirty minutes to get ready. At least he hadn't overslept, so he wouldn't have to witness what would likely be a scolding man. He remarked that the note was signed "Mercy" rather than "Dr. Ziegler" or "Angela". That must be her callsign. He'd heard it before, while he was still in Hanamura territory, but had never put two and two together. It suited her.

Unsure how to the pass the time, Genji walked toward and laid on the bed - it was more comfortable than expected, given the generic look and feel of the room - and recounted all the events that led to the current situation he had been placed in. How Hanzo had struck him down, how Dr Ziegler had found him on the verge of death and kept him alive, how he was transported to Zürich and given a new coat of armour that coincidentally allowed him to do anything at all, to the events that transpired just a day prior. He was so immersed in his reflections that he failed to acknowledge the sound of knocking on the door, or the footsteps of a man entering his room.

"Didn't expect the son of a criminal family to be one to daydream in his free time." Came a voice near the entrance of the room. Genji whipped around to see who had just invaded his room, and whether that person was a threat. His eyes met a tall, husky man in his 40s, who had radiant blond hair and a blue/navy (which he had now gathered was Overwatch's favourite colour) suit adorned with an eagle badge on the left collar. The man looked behind him and made sure the door was shut before facing the slightly bewildered ninja.

Genji's chary stare softened when he glanced at the clock and remembered what the doctor had told him would happen at this hour. He quickly composed himself and responded: "Pleasure to meet you, Commander Morrison. I am Genji Shimada, although I suspect you know that already. Oh, and the sons of my family, including myself, daydream as much as any other.", intending to lighten the mood and make up for his intense appearance.

"Likewise. I have heard many tales of your family's empire. We met earlier in Hanamura but you probably won't remember that considering the state you were in. After Captain Amari, our second-in-command, slept you out of precaution, you were taken onto a helicopter where Mercy kept you stabilised until your arrival here. You ought to thank her. She was very concerned about whether you would make it to headquarters alive while onboard the vehicle, not to mention that she has worked throughout most of the past nights to both ensure your safety, and design the suit that allows you to walk and talk again."

_She's done all this? And what have I done?_

"I will do so later, but I must also thank you, commander, as I know you had a role to play in making my suit too."

"Our aim at Overwatch is to, among other matters, improve the welfare of people. You are one of many others to come." The man exclaimed, showing a hint of pride in his tone, which Genji picked up on.

_One of many..._

"Anyway, onto what I want to discuss with you, Mr Shimada."

"It's Genji. Mr Shimada does not suit me." Genji rebuked. In truth it was probably better to be referenced with an English honorific but he preferred simply being called "Genji".

"Alright Genji. It's about the agreement that you made, directly before being administered your suit."

_Oh, that thing._

"As per your consent, you are now an official agent under Overwatch, however I believe your knowledge and expertise is better put somewhere other than civilian matters."

"I follow…" Genji nodded.

"I am going to position you in our covert operation division, known as Blackwatch. You will carry out operations in the field avoiding the attention of the watchful eye, and judging by your background, you should be well suited to the style of work."

_Avoiding the public? Doesn't sound too bad if you ask me._

"I agree, commander."

"Excellent, I will notify Commander Reyes immediately. He oversees the Blackwatch division. He will call on you when needed, as to right now, Mercy will take you on a quick whistle-tour of the facilities."

The commander having been satisfied, spun around and opened the door, revealing Doctor Ziegler who had been standing outside the room for what Genji could assume was some time. Morrison flashed a quick thumbs up to her and was returned with a simple rolling of eyes. He continued down the hall before making a left and disappearing out of sight.

The pair remained silent for nearly a minute, frozen in position with Doctor Ziegler looking at Genji's feet to avoid eye contact. They were unsure how to break the tension.

Genji eventually broke the ice: "So, the tour, doctor?"

"Ah yes, follow me."

The two walked down the hallway, with Doctor Ziegler leading the way, into the various chasms of the Zürich-based facility. The facility was more devoid of personnel than usual, as there happened to be numerous missions on the day. Most of the areas she showed him were not all too interesting: the mess hall, cafeteria, the medical facilities, and other places that were the European equivalent of those in Japan. The training range attracted him however. In Hanamura, various gym equipment as well as wooden targets and dummies were at his disposal, however it was far superior here. Weapons of all variety could be used, and the dummies were not dummies but bots that could move off their own accord. The landscape itself was also far more intricate, with stairwells and platforms littered across the space. His ninja skills could finally be put to some use.

 _This could be some fun to climb_. He would certainly come here often.

Exiting the training range, he wondered whether Doctor Ziegler would know anything about Blackwatch. Surely, she, as the head doctor and medical researcher, would know a thing or two about the Black Ops division.

Thus, he asked her.

"Doctor, I have been told that I will be placed in Blackwatch, do you know anything about it?"

"I've heard many tales about the stuff that goes on there by agents that I have tended to, but I've never directly been related to Blackwatch myself. As a doctor who not only helps our own agents but ordinary civilians, I cannot be connected to any Blackwatch operations." The doctor stated. Clearing her throat, she mumbled, "The ethics are questionable but they get the job done."

Curious, Genji asked, "What are the agents like, as people?"

The doctor paused for a second to think, before a saying, "The Blackwatch agents can be a bit crude and crass in their speech, but they are highly skilled in their work so whatever needs to be done is done I guess."

"And Commander Reyes, do you know anything about him?"

She seemed to freeze at this question, and stuttered for a response before abruptly responding with: "Yes. I know him."

Genji didn't press on as he could feel the atmosphere turn cold the moment he asked that question, so the doctor was evidently uncomfortable with answering too much. Instead, he quickly diverted the subject by telling her that one of his shuriken loading mechanisms seemed to be malfunctioning slightly as the shuriken was being released at an incorrect angle. So, they began to walk over to her lab, several minutes away, in order to rectify the problem.

* * *

Both entered the lab calmly, and Genji sat down in the medical chair. He demonstrated to her the problem, and Angela prepped her tools and brought a small magnifying lens to hand. It was likely that he would end up in this lab many times in the coming future, so it was best to familiarise himself with the environment.

Getting into position, Angela placed a hand on Genji's arm and said:

"This may be a tad uncomfortable, so if it hurts then tell me."

Genji nodded. That was his accustomed sign of acknowledgement by this point, a simple act that could convey a variety of meaning.

She slowly pried open the black metal cover that protected his forearm, exposing the mechanism inside. She then examined the exposed internal structure of the arm using her lens, and then using her tender fingers. His arm tensed up slightly at this, and she picked up on it.

"Hanging in there fine?" she asked him, looking him in the face.

"Yeah, just a little discomfort but nothing compared to what I've been through."

She didn't want to think about what happened to him, and the pain he must have endured.

Her cheeks heated slightly as she realised that Genji was eyeing her rapturously. His natural deadpan stare was intrinsically hard to decipher, and his rhythmic breaths seem to match with her own. Angela's heart couldn't help but beat a little faster in the situation.

Identifying the problem within a few minutes, she took her tools and quickly amended the error all while under the intense gaze of the man. Placing the panel back into place, she stowed away her utensils and flashed a quick thumbs up to Genji, who tested the action again, and after confirming that it was working as intended, responded with the same gesture and a delightful grin.

"And once more I am further in debt to you, doctor." The ninja bowed in front of her.

"Oh, nonsense Genji, I'm just doing what I do best! You can come to me anytime if there is a problem, emotional or physical."

Genji seemed pleased, however his appearance suddenly darkened in tone, and his eyes fixated on Angela's. He took a short, laboured step toward her and with a manic chuckle, said to her.

"You're just doing this for Overwatch aren't you. You're merely saying that to everyone but in reality, this is all a ruse."

"It's not like that at all Genji!", she began to back up in fear before stopping at the wall behind her.

At this action, he twitched in confusion, and turned away from her, ducking lightly.

"It happened again, Doctor. Something seemed to take control of me. Only this time it didn't last long enough to cause any damage."

Angela quickly relaxed and placed a firm but gentle hand on his back.

"It's okay, Genji. I can tell whether it's really you or not. You've been through too much, it is only inevitable that there would be some side effects."

The man sighed and pivoted to face her.

"I can never repay your kindness, doctor."

"You don't need to."

* * *

The next day, Genji awoke with a message to meet Commander Morrison at the training range, so, after going through his simple daily routine which consisted of showering, brushing his teeth and grabbing a quick bite out of the sandwiches that were in the fridge, he opened the door and set off on the short stroll toward the training range. He assumed that the commander would most likely want to assess his physical ability, considering their knowledge of his background, so he mentally prepared himself to face the series of tests that he would probably have to partake in. He already had a few days to adjust to his new body, therefore it should not affect him. Overwatch likely programmed some features in it too; he was curious to unlock what these features were.

Arriving at the range, he was greeted by the commander wearing the same attire as yesterday.

Salutations out the way, the commander said: "As you may or may not have guessed, I will need to assess your ability in combat."

"Wakarimashita." Genji echoed.

"As for weapons, these items we have here are not optimal for, at least from my information, the combat which your family have trained you in," he stepped aside and pulled in a small rack containing two swords. His katana, Ryūichi mohi, and his wakizashi. The commander continued, "however we did find these next to your body."

_Overwatch better have not examined my blade._

"Now the simple test is this: you may not be aware but these bots are able to shoot and dodge at a person with reasonable effectiveness. The bullets are non-lethal but they do sting, that is, if you get hit. You should 'kill' all the bots using whatever techniques until all are dismantled. I will judge from there."

"Shi no nioi ka? Yoshi! Itsu demo koi." Genji muttered.

"I take that as you are ready. In that case, I will stand over here. You may begin." The commander stated, moving back to let Genji prepare himself and pressing a small button on the remote that was clasped in his hand.

_Iku zo!_

Genji worked through each bot with ease, utilising a combination of his shuriken and his dash, which he found out to be enhanced by his suit. Not a single bot had touched him. When one attempted to shoot the ninja from his flank, he whipped around and deflected the bullet back into it using his wakizashi.

_Jōtō da!_

Deciding to show off further, he dashed into the air and unsheathed his katana, releasing the dragon inside it that was bound to him. The dragon devoured any bot that met the path of the blade in one fell swoop.

_Ryūjin no ken wo kurae!_

After ten minutes, he finally tracked down the last bot, and enjoying the heat of the moment, backflipped off a platform before digging three perfectly accurate shuriken into its head and landing on the floor with style.

_My warrior spirit burns._

Wiping some sweat off his forehead, he slowly approached the commander, coasting off the adrenaline rush that he had just experienced, smirking under his suit. It had been some time since he had had this much fun in doing activities that he enjoyed. His teenage and early adult life was littered with responsibilities and classes that he did not want to talk. He was always the puppet of someone else, but in this instant, he was free. Free from all the restraints that held him down in Hanamura.

"I was hoping for a challenge." He snickered, almost in a cocky fashion.

"Impressive. Your family heritage has done you well." The commander remarked, contented with the display he had witnessed.

"Impressive indeed, but you want to tone it down a little in the field, we are meant to be covert agents after all." An unfamiliar voice emanated from beside Commander Morrison.

A man adorning very different uniform to Morrison appeared out of the shadow in the room. He held a more serious, perceptive pose than the Strike Commander, who looked more friendly and approachable.

"And you are…?" Genji inquired.

"Gabriel Reyes. Commander of the Blackwatch Unit."


	4. His Name

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for not uploading anything for over 2 months! GCSEs have been eating away at my time over the past period so I've had little time to write more for this wonderful ship. To make up, i'll try and get Chapter 5 out within a week or so.
> 
> The plot deviates from canon a bit, as Genji was stationed in Watchpoint: Gibraltar officially, but in this storyline he is instead stationed at the Zürich headquarters. Also I invent some technology.

"Pleasure to meet you, commander. I have heard you'll be overseeing me." Genji said, adding in a slight bow whilst saying it.

"Drop the formalities, Genji. As you'll soon find out, we're a close-knit group. Just call me Reyes."

"I see. I suppose I will have the meet the rest of this 'group'"

"Let me take you somewhere. It'll answer any questions that you may have."

"Uh Gabriel, not right now...we still have some business to do here." Morrison interluded.

The Blackwatch commander turned and shot a cold look toward Overwatch commander, stating:

"This will only take thirty minutes."

"Make it quick." Morrison muttered, before spinning and swiftly making his exit out of the training range without another sound.

Satisfied, Commander Reyes took out a small orb in his hand from his left pocket. He had never seen such an object before. Reyes threw it at the ground where it began to create thick black smoke that quickly obscured Genji's vision.

_A smoke grenade? Why use it here?_

"This is more than just a smoke grenade." Reyes dictated, as if he were able to read Genji's thoughts, "It allows the user and anyone within the radius to be teleported to a predefined location. Pretty useful in a tight situation, Moira and I developed it ourselves. It still has its quirks and we're working on improving its range to more than just a kilometre."

The smoke lingered for several additional seconds, and when it dissipated, as described, the two men were now standing in a completely different place to whence they came from.

Genji immediately registered the stark change in atmosphere of the new scene. Instead of the bold, blue and gold colour scheme that filled most of Overwatch headquarters, the walls were coated thick gray with little variation in colour. The air in the room was much thinner and while at Overwatch, natural light adorned nearly every aspect of the building, here the entire space was lit only by artificial sources coming from lamps.

"As you may have guessed, we are now in the Blackwatch HQ. It is not too different from the main HQ however there is a higher level of confidentiality that must be implemented."

"The team. How many of us are there?" Genji asked

"To tell you would be a breach of confidentiality. You'll meet who you need to meet for a current mission, and then you'll forget about them."

_So much for lasting relations…_

Leading Genji into the main sitting room, which consisted of cluttered files and monitors, he came face to face with two other people: One a man, sitting on one of the desks, smoking a cigar and dressed in clothing of the likes that Genji had seen in various cowboy movies of his youth. The other a woman, considerable taller than himself, sporting a beret and silver clothing complete with red tubing not unlike his own armour. She was seated facing one of the monitors, seemingly peeved that her business had been interrupted.

"Allow me to introduce our fourth member: Genji. I'm sure he'll make an adequate addition the team."

_Adequate._

"The name's McCree, but you can call me Jesse." The man announced, taking Genji's hand and shaking it firmly.

The woman then stood up and introduced herself too.

"Moira O'Deorain. That's a very interesting body you have there, where did you get it from?" she questioned.

Genji looked slightly puzzled at her question, but regained his composure and replied:

"It's a long story as to how and why I got it, but Doctor Zi-Mercy designed and installed it for me. Without her I would be just a torso."

The woman displayed a face of disgust after Genji mentioned Doctor Ziegler's callsign, as if she had been offended by the inclusion. Genji sensed her reaction and was going to respond, but decided against questioning lest he create a tense situation. After all, he had just met these people and it would be wise if they were to become his allies rather than his enemies.

"I have one question, commander. How often will I be able to visit and talk to regular Overwatch persons?" Genji inquired.

"Provided you're not on a mission and there isn't a major crisis occurring, as much as you would like. Though you do understand that anything that we do here must not be made known to anyone outside Blackwatch, correct?"

"Affirmative."

"Excellent. I have to return you back to the main headquarters now, as Morrison said so." Reyes muttering the last phrase with a tone of slight irritance. He took out another orb from his suit and prepared to send Genji back, but as he was about to do so, Genji asked:

"You and Commander Morrison. Do you know each other well?"

He had sensed some animosity between the two.

Reyes paused to think about the question. After brief consideration, he shook his head lightly, closed his eyes and replied: "Yes.", before covering up Genji's vision with smoke. After a brief period, he was back where he had been standing half an hour ago, his ears being filled with the ambient noise of bots roaming around. Commander Morrison was standing to his side, patiently waiting for his return.

"Did he show you anything useful?"

Genji nodded.

"Good." The Commander noted, before beckoning Genji to come follow him down the hallway.

Whilst walking through the various districts in the Zürich base, his mind wandered back to the Reyes' response to his final question, moments before leaving. Reyes had hesitated when he had asked him whether he knew Morrison well. That, added with the subtle hints of rivalry between the two, caused Genji to wonder whether the two had been comrades in the past but fallen out recently. They were both in important leadership positions, but Morrison's seemed to get the higher spotlight over Reyes', which was to be expected as one position was deliberately in the spotlight and the other in the dark. There might be something deeper going on between the two men.

_I should find out more…_

* * *

_**-Several days later-** _

"Blackwatch…" she muttered, "Why did they have to assign him to bloody Blackwatch?"

Having woken up a few hours prior, Angela was met with the remnants of last night's insomnia episode. Notes scattered the floor. Her pen remained where she had left it, its cap still unhinged. An espresso, by now cooled to room temperature, sat in the top right corner. Her room was a mess. She drifted into her bathroom and took a quick glance at her reflection in the mirror: her usual straight hair had started to fray. The small grey bags that usually found themselves under her eyes had expanded. She was a mess.

The past days and nights she had attempted to continue her work on nanobiotics, but all she could think about Genji: He was a patient. He was  **her**  patient. And they took him away from her. Angela had never particularly cared about what happened to her patients; she had saved many people from the brink of death. She would always endeavour to remain friendly and stay in touch, but what they did with their lives after leaving was purely their own business. He was no different. Yet whether it was that body that her genius had designed, or the fact that he was a prince of the Shimada Clan, she could not help but toil over his wellbeing.

By now, he should be well introduced to the various methods and equipment that he was going to use in accord with Blackwatch. Hell, he's probably got to know the members of the division quite well by now. "It can't be all bad." she said to her conscience. "Who knows, he might even like it there."

_What if he likes it more there. What if he becomes akin to their methods?_

_He'd be the weapon that Jack was asking for._

Ridding her mind of such thoughts, she psyched herself and donned her white doctors coat that she usually wore while stationed in Switzerland. After much contemplation, she took a large breath and stepped out her door, making her way to the mess hall for some breakfast. Angela was a simple eater: she merely took some cereal and some eggs, determining that it was enough to last her until lunch. She couldn't spend too long eating as she had important work to do in the lab, as well as in the medical ward.

The table that housed her happened to be empty this day, as many of the colleagues that she worked with had been called up to go on a mission. Thus, she sat alone, and began to eat the food. Partway through consuming the food, she was interrupted when a familiar face entered the mess hall: Genji.

His body had been built to handle menial tasks such as eating, she made sure of that. Why would he be in the mess hall? He did not eat food anymore.

Angela realised she was eyeing the man when his own gaze returned to her. Acknowledging the gesture with a slight nod, he made his way over and sat opposite her on her table.

"Genji! What can I do to help you?" she inquired, her face lighting up a little having not talked to him for some time.

"Actually Doctor, nothing. We haven't spoken for a few days so I came because I wanted to talk to you." Genji responded, adding a small grin at the foot of his sentence.

"How sweet of you, Genji." she was displaying an even greater grin, "Where do we begin?"

"Oh, I don't know, how about some stories of my youth?"

Storytime with Genji! That was something that Angela was more than happy to listen to.

"Go ahead!"

Genji began: "I was around sixteen at the time. Back in the little Hanamura café, my brother had found a pretty person that he wanted to chat up. Despite now being a proper adult, he had far less experience with girls than I had, so he came crawling to me for advice. I told him a few guaranteed pickup lines. They worked for m-"

"Pickup lines. Really Genji?" she interluded, chuckling slightly.

"Yes."

"It didn't work did it."

"Nope. Either he delivered the punchlines at the wrong time or he just didn't have the eloquence of yours truly."

"And why did he come to you of all people?"

"Ah well that's a whole different story. You see back in Hanamura I was quite the jester, which made me popular amongst…"

**_-An hour later_ -**

"…and that's how I ended up with a bright red mark on my left cheek that lasted for ages! It hurt too!"

The entire duration, Angela was in tears. Who knew that Genji would have such a tumultuous childhood?

Alas, Genji had to depart; he was about to carry out his first mission with the Blackwatch troop, which left her somewhat empty as she was rather enjoying the conversation. A common theme in all of Genji's stories intrigued her: his brother would be mentioned with reasonable abundance. He was rather vague on the details too, only referring to him as 'brother', dismissing his name. She wondered what became of him, the elder prince, after Overwatch took the younger prince from the streets of Japan. Her mind cast itself back to that day when witnessed Genji's body, laying on the ground covered in crimson red.

_There was another man._

He had said that his primary aim on his first outing would be to "put old grudges to rest."

_No, it can't be…_

* * *

Having had delightful chat with Doctor Ziegler, Genji felt that he was prepared for the task that laid ahead. He made his way back to Blackwatch headquarters for the final debrief on his maiden mission. The other three leaders were eagerly awaiting his return, and upon doing so, they established the method of action for the events that would unfurl.

The plan was simple:

Reyes, Moira, and several backup agents would take the base entrance by force, attracting the attention of the enemy.

McCree would secure the perimeter to make sure no external allies to the enemy were able to come and assist.

Meanwhile, Genji would use his inside knowledge to flank inside and capture any foes that he could.

Both teams would eliminate any hostile threat and take higher-ups as hostage for questioning back at Overwatch.

When it reached 0100 hours, they would convene in the large central hall that Genji had marked on the map.

The objective:

Cripple the Shimada Clan.

At 1800 hours, the four boarded the dropship which would arrive in Hanamura at 2400 hours. They would use the night to their advantage as many of the enemy would be asleep and it would be easier to take out the night guards stealthily.

The six odd hours onboard the dropship were mainly used to complete final preparations for the undertaking. This would be no easy mission; the Shimada clan were revered in their ruthlessness and dominance over any force. Genji also mentally prepped himself for the task; he would be fighting and almost definitely slaughtering many of the people that he used to call his comrades. Some he will have used to call friends.

Upon landing, Reyes gave a final run-through of the plan and handed Genji another small orb, citing that if he was in danger he could use it to make a swift and untraceable escape. Then, they parted ways.

Genji immediately dashed off. He would have to eliminate hostiles as quickly as possible to avoid feeling guilt despite the fact that he knew full well of the atrocities they had committed to innocent persons.

He entered an inconspicuous storage building. If his memory served correct, there was a secret pathway behind a counter indoors. His memory was indeed correct as he identified the trapdoor with ease, opening it, making sure it was shut before traversing the tunnel.

_Your kin will regret you showing me the ins and outs of our dominion, father._

He quickly entered the gymnasium that he would always use as a kid, checking around to ensure there were no men in the proximity.

By tradition, the Shimada always patrolled the rim at the roof of the base, so Genji decided that he would take every guard out one by one to ensure that his fellow Blackwatch agents would be able to enter the base with certainty. Climbing up to the roof, he caught sight of the first lookout straight ahead of him. He quickly sliced the man without a word, before moving onto the next without a trace. He did not go undetected forever unfortunately, as another warden from higher ground had spotted him taking out a hostile: Soon, Genji was up against multiple foes, brandishing katanas not unlike his own. They could not match his skills however, as he quickly overpowered the waves of men that were sent against him. His cyborg appearance also disguised his identity because none of the Shimada had even remotely recognised him, merely shouting that 'an assassin' had trespassed the base.

By 0100 hours, Genji had successfully dispatched many guards, but he had not achieved what he aimed to do on the mission. He had not found Hanzo. He had not made his brother pay for the pain and suffering that he had to go through. He had not had revenge.

Entering the great hall, he noticed that his compatriots had not yet arrived.

"Minor delays, we'll be there shortly." radioed Reyes over the earpiece.

Down below, Genji instead saw aging woman kneeling on the floor. He knew her. She was the mother of one of Sojiro's siblings. She was an elder.

Genji drew his katana dashed down and promptly placed it in the crook of her neck.

"You. Hanzo, where is he?" Genji shouted, directing his voice into the face of the elder.

The woman remained silent for a few moments. Her hair was gray and thinned out, and from her posture it was clear that she had little time left to live. She looked at the young prince in the face, knowing who it was despite the change in body.

"You were always weak, Shimada." She breathed.

"I said. WHERE IS HANZO SHIMADA!" he repeated himself, now reeling in fury.

"We do not know. We sent him to fix you."

_Fix me._

_Fix me?_

_You sent Hanzo to fix me? What needed fixing? Or was it that I didn't fit into your lineage of heartless savageries. Yeah that was it wasn't it. You never gave a damn about me. I was the younger brother I was never born for glory. Instead you gave it all to Hanzo. Hanzo this and Hanzo that. You left me in the shade while my brother was crowned in glory. A goddamn puppet. That's what I was. That's what you made of me._

With one clean stroke, Genji sliced her neck, ignoring the ear-piercing scream that the woman let out. In response, several swordsmen came out of hiding to kill the attacker, and all fell to the cyborg wielding his katana.

_Weak. I am not weak. You are nothing compared to me._

After a fleeting moment of silence, a multitude more men came out of the doorway, followed by a few elders who had come to witness the action.

"You all saw me as feeble. You all deserve to die."

_They shall all die a painful death._

_All of them._

A small boy, whom had woken up after hearing all the commotion, appeared from behind a curtain.

"Genji stop!" A faint voice emanated from the distance.

"Stop? Why give these creatures mercy when they leave me to suffer."

_They shall suffer as I did._

"Genji? It's me. You know me, we were friends! Remember in the café! You remember, right? Please remember. Please remember!"

_What was is his name? I know him. I know him._

_I don't care. They are all the same. All Shimada are the same. All Shimada deserve hell._

Genji's eyes locked with the boy's, dropping his katana and falling to his knees. The boy sighed and appeared relieved. Genji took his wakizashi and stabbed him through the heart.

_You were never my friend. You cannot call yourself my friend._

"McCree, flashbang him."

_What was his name?_

"That's an order!"

_What was his name?_

The last thing the cyborg saw was the floor, covered in dead bodies, and his own sword, stained blood-red, before blacking out.


End file.
